Research profile

The work of the research group focuses on epidemiological aspects of environmentally-induced aging of the lung, the brain and the skin. The main focus is the collection and analyses of data on the effect of long-term exposure to air pollution on chronic diseases (lung, skin and brain) as well as the complex interplay between the organs. They were able to show that chronic exposure to air pollution, in particular PM10 and NO2 as well as living close to major roads, increases the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in elderly women. Furthermore, skin aging was enhanced. Another focus of the working group is the maintenance of the long-standing, IUF-genuine cohort study on the influence of air pollution on lung function, inflammation and aging (The SALIA study). The SALIA study was initiated in the early 1980s by the North Rhine-Westphalia State Government to investigate the effect of air pollution exposure on different health outcomes in women. One of the main findings from this study was that long-term exposure to particulate matter and high traffic is associated with an increase in airway and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, the working group could show that high exposure with traffic-related air pollution increases the risk of cardio-pulmonal mortality in the same cohort. This was done in cooperation with the Institute of Epidemiology at the Helmholtz Center in Munich. Worldwide the working group Schikowski was the first one to show that particle exposure from traffic-related sources was associated with diabetes and skin aging (pigment spots and wrinkles). Another main focus is the investigation of risk factors for the development of allergies and lung diseases. Thereby influences of environment-related noxae on the immune system play an important role. To address these questions, we participate in large epidemiological cohort studies: NAKO and the birth cohort GINIplus.

Projects

Projects based on the IUF genuine SALIA-Study

Study on the influence of air pollution on lung function, inflammation and aging

The
aim of the current project is the investigation of the SALIA study to
identify common biological pathways for the development and progression
of particulate-induced chronic age-related diseases and the
investigation of interactions between exposure to fine particulate
matter and genes on aging processes. This project is in close
cooperation with Prof. Ursula Krämer (Senior Scientist) at the IUF. The
external collaboration partners are PD Dr. Christian Herder (DDZ,
Düsseldorf) and PD Dr. Christian Luckhaus (Klinik und Poliklinik für
Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Düsseldorf). The funding of this project
was initially DGUV (FP 266.1), LUA NRW, EU ESCAPE (ENV.2007.1.2.2.2.Nr.
211250), DFG (KR 1938/3-1) and the Research Commission of the Medical
Faculty of the Heinrich Heine University.

International Projects

In
the project „Airflow obstruction in non-smoking women: the role of air
pollution and co-determinants in two longitudinal studies in Switzerland
and Germany”, which is in collaboration with the Swiss Tropical and
Public Health Institute in Basel (Prof. Nino Künzli), the influence of
air pollution on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is investigated
in the population-based cohort studies SALIA and the Swiss SAPALDIA
study. The project is conducted in close collaboration with Prof. Ursula
Krämer. External collaboration partner are Prof. Nino Künzli and Prof.
Nicole Probst-Hensch (Swiss TPH, Basel). The project was initially
funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF 73BM-133148).

The
Project „Air pollution exposure, its interaction with genes and the
role of systemic inflammation on skin-related outcomes in an elderly
Chinese population”, is a collaboration with the Max Planck-CAS Paul
Gerson Unna Research Group on Dermatogenomics in Shanghai (China)
(cooperation partner: Dr. Sijia Wang).The study investigates long-term
effects of air pollution exposure on skin-related outcomes in an elderly
Chinese population. The focus is on gene-air pollution interactions to
identify possible susceptible groups and additionally focus on systemic
inflammation and its role in skin-related outcomes after long-term air
pollution exposure. This project is in close collaboration with the
working group of Prof. Krutmann. The external collaboration partners are
Dr. Sijia Wang (Max Planck-CAS Paul Gerson Unna Research Group on
Dermatogenomics) and Prof. Haidong Kan (Fudan University, Shanghai,
China). The project is supported by the Joint IUF-PICB Research Project
as well as industrial funding.

The project „MiTyrAGE“ (Nutritional
targeting of the mitochondria-tyr-kinase axis to prevent age-associated
neuronal decline) has been awarded within the Joint Program Initiative
„A healthy diet for healthy life”(JPI HDHL), and is supported by the
German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). The aim of
the project is to identify and characterize the impact of nutrition on
cognitive decline during aging. The project is carried out by AG Schins ,
AG Schikowski and the liaison group Ventura (coordination) in
cooperation with the University Tor Vergata in Rome, and the CSIC in
Madrid. The task of the AG within the project is to identify and
investigate nutritional factors associated with age-associated neuronal
changes and to determine the molecular mechanisms behind.

Further Projects:

1.
GINIplus: Birth cohort studies on the influence of air pollution, life
style and genetics on the development of atopies (GINIplus)

In cooperation with Prof. U. Krämer and the GINIplus consortium

Allergies
as eczema/neurodermatitis, hay fever and asthma are increasing
worldwide. In western, industrialized countries they are among the most
frequent chronic illnesses. Although numerous national and international
studies found associations with environmental and genetic determinants,
knowledge about development and manifestation of allergic diseases is
still fairly limited. Today early childhood influences or influences
even in pregnancy in combination with genetic factors are considered
most important. Birth cohort studies therefore are central for the
detection of the pathogenetic mechanisms. Together with different groups
throughout Germany the Schikowski lab participates in the two birth
cohort studies GINIplus. GINIplus (German Infant Study on the influence
of Nutrition Intervention PLUS environmental and genetic influences on
allergy development) started in 1996 and investigates allergy-prevention
by hydrolyzed formula-milk in comparison with conventional cow
milk-based formula and additionally the influence of environmental and
genetic factors on the development of allergies. Meanwhile data up to
the 15th year of the children are available. Eczema is the earliest
manifestation of allergic diseases (most children get eczema aged
between 2 and 3) and thus especially interesting for the investigation
of early-life influences on allergy development. Currently, the 20 year
examination of the children is being conducted in which the working
group Schikowski participates.

The
projects were initially funded by the Federal Ministry for the
Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety. A
continuation of these projects is planned.

2. National Cohort

The
national cohort is so far the largest German health study. It aims at
providing a comprehensive picture of the state of health of the
population living in Germany and at developing novel strategies for risk
assessment, early recognition and prevention of widespread diseases.
200,000 study participants (men and women aged between 20 and 69) will
be recruited nationwide. After 4 to 5 years a follow-up examination is
scheduled. Together with the German Diabetes Center the IUF conducts a
study center which examines 10,000 participants of the population until
2018. The national cohort is conducted in cooperation with other members
of the research consortium national cohort and is funded by the German
Federal Ministry for Education and Research, the Helmholtz Association
and the participating federal states. The study shall serve as research
platform for population-based health research.

Service

The working group Schikowski provides statistical support to the experimental working groups.